Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wednesday is a Grading Day for teachers that some see fit to take away for some reason, but it is ALSO Lunar New Year. And that strangely timed PD day for teachers in June? That isn't just a gift of time from Central Office because teachers and Admin are stressed and papers have piled up. It's Eid al-Adha. Those dates for snow make-up days were never on the table. Several years ago, MCPS took the religious and cultural holidays off of the published calendars and now just label any day off/non-Fed holiday they choose to recognize as Non-Instructional or Professional Development days. Nothing is random, though!...if your kid has days off in September/Oct that seem oddly placed mid-week, then guess what?! Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur aren't falling on the weekend this year! (Heads up: 9/23 & 10/2 will be "NI" days this fall so plan accordingly 😉)

I just don't understand why MCPS can't be transparent? It just puts parents against teachers and vice versa. At least it seems that way on this forum. When really, parents & teachers have very little say in any of these decisions. Point any vitriol in the right direction, please.
(Full transparency: I am both a parent AND a teacher)

Agree, as a parent, I don't blame teachers for these decisions. It's squarely in the hands of central office.

The reason why the dates are labeled as non-instructional or professional days is not just to avoid offending people. It is also labeled so that way they can avoid paying the dei staff (Ie all the bus drivers, cafeteria workers and para educators). Certain dates are built into the calendar as no work no paydays for the SEIU staff.

Just so you know, Trumper (and I say that because no one else would use the term "dei staff"), not all paraeducators are people of color.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wednesday is a Grading Day for teachers that some see fit to take away for some reason, but it is ALSO Lunar New Year. And that strangely timed PD day for teachers in June? That isn't just a gift of time from Central Office because teachers and Admin are stressed and papers have piled up. It's Eid al-Adha. Those dates for snow make-up days were never on the table. Several years ago, MCPS took the religious and cultural holidays off of the published calendars and now just label any day off/non-Fed holiday they choose to recognize as Non-Instructional or Professional Development days. Nothing is random, though!...if your kid has days off in September/Oct that seem oddly placed mid-week, then guess what?! Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur aren't falling on the weekend this year! (Heads up: 9/23 & 10/2 will be "NI" days this fall so plan accordingly 😉)

I just don't understand why MCPS can't be transparent? It just puts parents against teachers and vice versa. At least it seems that way on this forum. When really, parents & teachers have very little say in any of these decisions. Point any vitriol in the right direction, please.
(Full transparency: I am both a parent AND a teacher)

Agree, as a parent, I don't blame teachers for these decisions. It's squarely in the hands of central office.

The reason why the dates are labeled as non-instructional or professional days is not just to avoid offending people. It is also labeled so that way they can avoid paying the dei staff (Ie all the bus drivers, cafeteria workers and para educators). Certain dates are built into the calendar as no work no paydays for the SEIU staff.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wednesday is a Grading Day for teachers that some see fit to take away for some reason, but it is ALSO Lunar New Year. And that strangely timed PD day for teachers in June? That isn't just a gift of time from Central Office because teachers and Admin are stressed and papers have piled up. It's Eid al-Adha. Those dates for snow make-up days were never on the table. Several years ago, MCPS took the religious and cultural holidays off of the published calendars and now just label any day off/non-Fed holiday they choose to recognize as Non-Instructional or Professional Development days. Nothing is random, though!...if your kid has days off in September/Oct that seem oddly placed mid-week, then guess what?! Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur aren't falling on the weekend this year! (Heads up: 9/23 & 10/2 will be "NI" days this fall so plan accordingly 😉)

I just don't understand why MCPS can't be transparent? It just puts parents against teachers and vice versa. At least it seems that way on this forum. When really, parents & teachers have very little say in any of these decisions. Point any vitriol in the right direction, please.
(Full transparency: I am both a parent AND a teacher)

Agree, as a parent, I don't blame teachers for these decisions. It's squarely in the hands of central office.

Anonymous wrote:They should be using January 29 (next Wednesday) instead of June 16!
A. It's soon after the closures
B. It's less than a month after the winter break C. School is already being held the rest of the week
D. It's listed as the first makeup day

If January 29 is used and March 31 and June 6 are reserved for the next 2 closures, school might not have to be held the week of June 16 unless there are 7+ closures.
Closures 1 and 2 no makeup days
Closure 3 makeup January 29
Closure 4 makeup March 31
Closure 5 makeup June 6
Closure 6 makeup June 16, however that is a Monday and some thing says the state would waive the makeup day of the last day would be on a Monday.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think make up days is a stupid idea. So there are 1-2 days less of school this year. Whatever. Time to move on

People complain about the poor quality of educational performance, but are always looking to keep their kids out of school. Perhaps examine your priorities.

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t matter which day they picked. MCPS would be criticized roundly no matter what they do. This checks the box with the least disruptive change, because no one expects you to actually send your kids that Monday, and it was already a work day for teachers. Go to camp. Move on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will your kid attend?

The entire calendar is absurd. Teachers, school staff and students (offices can stay open) should get at least three days off between quarters. Then if there are snow days in that quarter, take one day out from those three days to serve as a makeup, not add at end of the year when no one is thinking of school especially after testing is over before memorial day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not use the June 6th Professional Development day?

Why is June 6 a day off? Does anyone know?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think make up days is a stupid idea. So there are 1-2 days less of school this year. Whatever. Time to move on

If MCPS were left to it's own devices they'd probably stop school in April. There is a law about this for a reason. MCPS could have scheduled more days in it's regular calendar, but they didn't. I have no sympathy for all they whining they are going to hear.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think make up days is a stupid idea. So there are 1-2 days less of school this year. Whatever. Time to move on

People complain about the poor quality of educational performance, but are always looking to keep their kids out of school. Perhaps examine your priorities.

So students should go to school on last day that too an early dismissal day to do what exactly? To socialize? Get their yearbooks signed, clean locker, be feed if buying/getting free or reduced lunch, say bye to peers they won't see over summer and teachers, ride the yellow cheese bus? Build in more days off throughout year to makeup during school year instead of in June.

Start week before labor day. That one week is to settle into new schedules and school.

Days off for fall time holidays.

Give a few days off before Quarter 2.

2 weeks off for winter break (that's about 10 weekdays and X-mas or New Year's could be two of those days if doesn't fall on weekend).

Few days off before Q3.

At least 10 days off for Spring break.

Summer break does not need to be 10/11 weeks long. 8/9 weeks off so there's more time during school year for schools to close.

It's not rocket science.

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t matter which day they picked. MCPS would be criticized roundly no matter what they do. This checks the box with the least disruptive change, because no one expects you to actually send your kids that Monday, and it was already a work day for teachers. Go to camp. Move on.

Anonymous wrote:Wednesday is a Grading Day for teachers that some see fit to take away for some reason, but it is ALSO Lunar New Year. And that strangely timed PD day for teachers in June? That isn't just a gift of time from Central Office because teachers and Admin are stressed and papers have piled up. It's Eid al-Adha. Those dates for snow make-up days were never on the table. Several years ago, MCPS took the religious and cultural holidays off of the published calendars and now just label any day off/non-Fed holiday they choose to recognize as Non-Instructional or Professional Development days. Nothing is random, though!...if your kid has days off in September/Oct that seem oddly placed mid-week, then guess what?! Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur aren't falling on the weekend this year! (Heads up: 9/23 & 10/2 will be "NI" days this fall so plan accordingly 😉)

I just don't understand why MCPS can't be transparent? It just puts parents against teachers and vice versa. At least it seems that way on this forum. When really, parents & teachers have very little say in any of these decisions. Point any vitriol in the right direction, please.
(Full transparency: I am both a parent AND a teacher)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think make up days is a stupid idea. So there are 1-2 days less of school this year. Whatever. Time to move on

People complain about the poor quality of educational performance, but are always looking to keep their kids out of school. Perhaps examine your priorities.

So students should go to school on last day that too an early dismissal day to do what exactly? To socialize? Get their yearbooks signed, clean locker, be feed if buying/getting free or reduced lunch, say bye to peers they won't see over summer and teachers, ride the yellow cheese bus? Build in more days off throughout year to makeup during school year instead of in June.

Start week before labor day. That one week is to settle into new schedules and school.

Days off for fall time holidays.

Give a few days off before Quarter 2.

2 weeks off for winter break (that's about 10 weekdays and X-mas or New Year's could be two of those days if doesn't fall on weekend).

Few days off before Q3.

At least 10 days off for Spring break.

Summer break does not need to be 10/11 weeks long. 8/9 weeks off so there's more time during school year for schools to close.

It's not rocket science.